The Buddha Shakyamuni at Mount Meru

The Buddha Shakyamuni sits at the foot of Mount Meru, the strangely shaped, four-colored peak marking the central axis of the Buddhist universe. Fanning out above him are the heavenly realms of Form and Formlessness. Below, golden letters announce the question at the heart of this thangka— how can one attain the "summit of existence"? As if pointing towards the cosmic heights behind him, the Buddha replies that the attainment comes through the "knowledge of the heavens."

Below the Buddha, a multicolored disk of seven sections shows how worshipers may gain "knowledge of the heavens." Inscriptions in gold mark its spokes. Around the disk, earthly scenes emphasize the importance of donations. By making donations to the Buddha, worshipers can gain merit and be reborn in the heavens at the "summit of existence."